I got the same problem... try and check if it is EXACTLY the same (are You running WinXP?):

Run msconfig and perform a diagnostic boot (or press F8 at boot time to do the same... actually never tried this way, always used msconfig)

Run Poser... does it works? It does for me, which is just so queer...

The same results by just performing a selective boot without services and boot elements (the last two checkbox in the general tab), having just one of these unselected did not work... I didn't managed to determine the combination of services/elements that allows me to run Poser...

Of course I'd like Poser to run with a complete start up! So this is not the solution...

e-frontier says this could result from a problem with OpenGL (was it a FAQ?), but I did not changed drivers... (and why should the selective boot work, anyway?)

Also I tried deleting the Poser's preference files, of course no change...

I had a bad polipos virus infection... got through it thanks to McAfee's Stinger (just in time!)... I'm wondering if this has something to do with the behavoir... I read that some programs, though repaired, failed in passing CRC checks... I have reinstalled Poser since, so this should not be the case... but what if the licensing software (a 3rd party application I guess) was not touched by the reinstallation process and so left damaged on the HD?... hmmm... and yet why should work with a selective boot? Even if the licensing protocol requires some sevice/element then it should not work when this is disabled, it is surely not intended to...

Dunno... :(

Someone please help!!!